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Sony BMG Joins ntl's Video On Demand Revolution

A press release from ntl this afternoon reports of an agreement with ntl and SONY BMG for the supply of music video content for ntl’s VOD digital TV service. ntl On Demand is the largest deployment of on demand services in Europe. Today, over 400,000 customers have this new type of TV service and this is set to reach one million in Q2 2006.

The press release goes on to say, the addition of content from SONY BMG, which represents over 20% of the UK music market, includes quality UK acts such as Dido, Faithless, George Michael, Will Young, Kasabian and The Clash as well as international megastars including Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Destiny’s Child, Foo Fighters and Outkast.

Clive Rich, SVP of the Futures Division at Sony BMG commented, “Sony BMG is happy to be working with ntl and the ON Demand Group on a new, fully interactive video service which provides yet another way of bringing our music to the consumer whilst opening up further revenue streams for content owners.”

Today’s agreement means that ntl viewers now have access to almost 90% of latest music videos. In total offers over 1000 music videos are available to view when customers want to watch, on demand.

This new TV viewing experience features DVD style controls including pause, fast-forward and rewind. Content is available for 24 hours from purchase, streamed from ntl’s central servers. No additional hardware is required.

Since the launch of this new service in January, demand for music content has continued to grow rapidly. To date over 500,0000 music videos have been viewed.

Shai Weiss, Managing Director of ntl Consumer Products, said: “ntl is Europe’s leading provider of video on demand services. No other service gets close to offering the choice of content, quality of performance or size of customer base. This is a new way to supply content to a large group of UK television viewers. Music videos are a popular part of our service and we welcome the addition of Sony BMG.”

All content management will be handled by the ON Demand Group.

Tony Kelly, CEO ON Demand Group commented: “The addition of SONY BMG to ntl’s on-demand service provides customers with their own TV music video juke box enabling them to watch their favourite music videos whenever they like.”

The ON Demand Group recently brokered the movie Video-On-Demand joint venture FilmFlex, the recently launched movie VOD service backed by joint venture partners Sony Pictures Television International (a Sony Pictures Entertainment company), Walt Disney Television International (a division of The Walt Disney Company Ltd).

The service features around 200 new-release and library movies from FilmFlex, over 80 hours of comedy, drama and factual programming in their recently launched “TV Hits” service, 80 hours of commercial-free children’s programming, a music video jukebox service and a TV catch-up service dubbed “Pick of the Week”.

ntl On Demand is available to ntl digital TV customers in Luton, Broxbourne, East and Central Herts, North and East Bedfordshire, Glasgow, Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark, Melton, Chesterfield, Lincoln, Belfast, Aldershot, Bagshot, Camberley, Farnborough, Farnham, Fleet, Guildford, West Byfleet, Woking and Yatley. This week sees the service roll out in parts of Surrey and Hants including Guildford, Bagshot, Camberley, Farnborough, Farnham, Addlestone, Aldershot, Fleet, West Byfleet and Woking.